S. Korea's COVID-19 cases drop for 1st time in 2 months

The country reported a daily average of 40,400 new infections for the week of Aug. 15-21, down 17.7 percent from 49,000 a week earlier, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The cases had been on the rise since the fourth week of June.

The number of COVID-19 deaths fell 11 percent on-week to 130, it added.

«The summer wave has entered a downside cycle after a seven-week rally, and the epidemic is slowing,» a KDCA official said.

With the slowdown in daily coronavirus cases, the KDCA is considering announcing its road map to lift all antivirus curbs and fully return to pre-pandemic normalcy later this week.

It includes measures to lower the disease level of COVID-19 by two notches and remove all mask mandates at hospitals and nursing homes as part of its efforts to implement a full transition to a normal state for the medical system.

The plan, originally set to be released in early August, has been postponed for weeks due to the recent surge in COVID-19 infections.